Builds fat bastard build thread (1 Viewer)

[greentruck]

at 5'2", i can barely see over the steering wheel. don't think i'll ever even come close to hitting my head on it

I always figured the reason there was no upper grab on the drivers side was simply because the driver had the wheel to hold onto. But recently I came to the conclusion it was more about preventing brain damage. Now I'm wondering if markets where short people are the rule saw the 80 series with front grabs above both seats?

 

[musthave]

I put in a grab bar, removed immediately after I busted my head on it.

 

[blkprj80]

I always figured the reason there was no upper grab on the drivers side was simply because the driver had the wheel to hold onto. But recently I came to the conclusion it was more about preventing brain damage. Now I'm wondering if markets where short people are the rule saw the 80 series with front grabs above both seats?

The driver's side isn't always on the left...

 

[devildogcruiser25]

I have a grab bar on the drivers side. After hitting my head really hard a few times I made a paracord handle for it.

 

[greentruck]

The driver's side isn't always on the left...

Yeah, that was kinda my point. Maybe in some markets you get them on both sides regardless of LHD or RHD?

 

[nuclearlemon]

ok, got a bit more time, so here's more of what i've gotten done

i transferred over the oil separator...i should get a new bowl as it hasn't held up well to brakecleanings, but does catch quite a lot of crap. the snakster also went in, along with the w/w bottle relocation kit, blue sea fuse block and dual battery tray (no battery yet as i'm still using it to move the mm around the yard )

 

[nuclearlemon]

then the painful part...drilling into a clean fender. i didn't have to worry about that with the mm as it was already done. it was very daunting...i taped on the pattern...hesitated....swapped over the rear hatch struts so the hatch would open stupid fast and high and swapped over the chunk of seatbelt so midget me could reach to close it...then i broke out the jigsaw....

 

[nuclearlemon]

i had long ago emptied stuff from the marshmallow so i refilled door pockets, the glove box and the console and that meant getting my supply of gamviti stuff back....wooohooo

 

[CO_Hunter]

Looks good, is the Maggie making the swap

By the way, how old are those pics? I know you all can't that many leaves left on the trees up there.

 

[DSRTRDR]

on the rear door handle pull cord

you want to swap for my tired rear door struts ?

 

[nuclearlemon]

Looks good, is the Maggie making the swap

By the way, how old are those pics? I know you all can't that many leaves left on the trees up there.

lol...nope, leaves are mostly gone. these are a couple months old. and yep, the maggi is moving.

 

[nuclearlemon]

on the rear door handle pull cord

you want to swap for my tired rear door struts ?

lol, thanks, but i had to swap them for a set of worn struts. need to buy a set? mine are for sale cheap

 

[nuclearlemon]

since the leaves have been pointed out, i guess i better get this caught up.
with the marshmallow officially retired and partially stripped, it was time to pull the suspension and swap it out. i splurged for new shocks and glad i did...the ome's were either worn, or broken (oops). the slee's got swapped over and i tried to get the caster plates and rear track bar bracket out, but the aftermarket bolts all became one with the metal sleeves in the bushings. i splurged for new caster plates and figured i'd deal with the rear track bar bracket later. i also chose now to swap over my slee tie rod and drag link

 

[nuclearlemon]

i had adjustable rear uppers that i had tried my best to protect by encasing them in an old motorcycle innertube and that seemed to help a bunch...on the one that didn't come uncinched. (don't judge my evil welds)
actually i managed to get all except one end loose on both...cleaned them up, re-antiseized them and installed on fat bastard with the innertubes again ziptied on. now that the rig was tall enough for me to fit under, i also swapped the stock "skid plate" with my ipor plate, put in the old blocks for the front sway bar that came off the mm so long ago and the new slee rear sway bar brackets

 

[nuclearlemon]

ih8abs, so while under their, i yanked all the rear stuff and blocked off the holes. the lines and valve will come out soon. i also burned through about 4 sawzall blades cutting the rear track bar bracket out and bought a new front adjuster kit since the front track bar on the mm isn't going anywhere soon. and the part time was always one step away on the mm and now it is the same on fat bastard....tcase is all that's left before it's part time. that hopefully will be this summer.

 

[nuclearlemon]

and now....ta dah!!!! note the leaves!!! last weekend i finished a horrendous battle with the marshmallow and all the broken bolts on the front and rear bumpers!!!!! after months, fat bastard's front is no longer naked and the rear will soon be covered also!!!!. on the front 8 of the 12 bolts snapped, leaving stems that had to be drilled out. i have found one negative to boxed frames.

i spent an entire day either under the mm drilling out bolts, or in front of the drill doctor sharpening bits. so this was a huge win. that and getting the two bumpers off were the last thing before i could fire up the mm and move it to it's final resting spot between the house and garage. it's here that the body will slowly disappear in little trips to the scrap yard.

the rear bumper isn't on yet, i figured i'd rattle can it before i throw it on, but it's been too cold. turkey day, i plan on getting it mounted, cleaning up the spindle and getting the tire carrier back on. and resetting the steering after adjusting the track rods. supposed to be nice, so should hopefully be a good day

 

[scottryana]

Looks great, very nice work, you get busy! And you have cemented the fact my next truck will be black, and blacked out. lol.

 

[Diesel Cruiserman]

Looking great... are those the same tires you had in Texas many moons ago, say maybe 6years?

Rob

 

[nuclearlemon]

Looks great, very nice work, you get busy! And you have cemented the fact my next truck will be black, and blacked out. lol.

black may look good but holy crap it gets hot!!!! it also shows weird discoloration, but that may be a poor paint quality. not sure.

 

[nuclearlemon]

Looking great... are those the same tires you had in Texas many moons ago, say maybe 6years?

Rob

i think i may have had my wrangler mtrs then. i'll have to look. i didn't like those. had trxus mts and loved them, but when i went up in size was around the time that tsl was moving, then had the plant fire and tires were unobtanium, so i went with the duratracs since i got a freakin' smoking deal. been fairly pleased although they suck chunks in snow and ice